1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to an apparatus and method useful for dividing fluids comprising more than one phase, e.g. a gaseous phase and a liquid phase, into separate fluid streams wherein the ratio of phases in said separate fluid streams are substantially equal. The apparatus and method are especially useful for uniformly distributing ammonia, as a fluid including both liquid ammonia and ammonia vapor, to the soil for the purpose of fertilizing the soil.
2. Background of the Art
The difficulty in separating fluid streams having more than one phase into separate fluid streams wherein each fluid stream has the same ratio of phases as each other fluid stream is well known. It is especially difficult to uniformly divide a multi-phase fluid flowing through a single conduit into a plurality of fluid streams when such fluid includes both a gaseous and a liquid phase. The gaseous phase is generally of lower density than the liquid phase and is more subject to change in volume as the pressure acting on the fluid stream varies. Therefore at any point at which the fluid stream is to be divided there will generally be a non-uniform variation of the liquid and the gaseous phase in the cross sectional plane of the fluid conduit.
The approach of workers who are concerned with the handling and separation of multi-phase fluid streams having both a gaseous and liquid phase is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,795,259 to Brandon et al.; and 4,140,178 to Sohlswager et al. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,178 the vapor phase and the liquid phase are separated, each phase is divided and then a portion of the liquid is combined with a portion of the vapor. Thus, the division of the multi-phase fluid stream is effected by separately dividing the liquid phase and the vapor phase.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,259 a mixture of a gas and a liquid is also divided but there is no recombination after such division. This patent does not have the even division of the gas and the liquid between the divided streams as an objective of the invention.
Another device for the division of a two-phase fluid is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,205 to Schuman. This patent illustrates the separation of fluid streams of particular matter fluidized in a gas. Like U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,259 there is no teaching of or necessity for recombining the fluid streams after such separation.
In other arts, the division of single phase fluid streams, in a manner to ensure that each such divided fluid stream has a uniform composition, is desirable. For example, in the art of making fibers by passing high molecular weight thermoplastic material through a spinnerette it is known that different fiber properties are obtained depending on where the material utilized in spinning the fibers originates. Thus, as a molten thermoplastic material is pushed through a spinnerette the composition will vary according to the location of the material from the walls of the spinnerette towards the center. In particular, the higher molecular weight (and more viscous) material will tend to orient at the inner walls of the spinnerette even at high flow rates. Many devices have been disclosed to minimize such variation. For example, see Canadian Pat. No. 692,051 which discloses a manifold apparatus and a process for dividing a fluid stream. This invention is directed toward the division of single phase, molten thermoplastic materials. The patentee separates the molten thermoplastic from the periphery of the internal conduit of the spinnerette for spinning fibers and passes the molten thermoplastic from the center of said fluid conduit to a subsequent spinnerette for spinning other fibers. The patentees objective is to obtain uniform fibers by providing a uniform residence time for the molten thermoplastic material in the spinnerette. The patentee however does not combine the separated fluid streams but instead directly spins a fiber from the fluid that is separated.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,308 to Bydal, a molten thermoplastic material is separated into a plurality of streams and one group of streams is then combined. The separation is achieved by dividing the fluid stream into axisymmetric sectors and combining one group of alternate sectors into a single fluid stream. The patentees purpose is to assure a uniform concentration of additives in the resulting fibers. Note, however, that only one group of axisymmetric sectors is combined. The remaining group is directly spun into fibers. Moreover, the patentee does not contemplate the more difficult problem of equally dividing a fluid that is a mixture of a gaseous and liquid phase.
In particular none of the above references are concerned with the problems of evenly distributing ammonia to the soil for the purpose of fertilizing the soil. Ammonia a very cheap and efficient fertilizer, is provided to the fertilizer industry as a liquid under pressure. The difficulty with distributing ammonia to the soil results from the fact that it is necessary to reduce the pressurized ammonia to atmospheric pressure at the point at which it is introduced into the soil, i.e. at the individual shanks of a tiller. As ammonia is passed from a pressurized tank through various fluid conduits, i.e., the valves, T-connections and manifolds utilized in the art to divide the ammonia into separate streams for delivery to the individual shanks of the tiller, it is found that the ammonia stream at each shank is a varied mixture of liquid and vapor. In part such variation is inherent in the division of any flowing fluid having a liquid and a gaseous phase and in part this variation is a result of changes in the planar orientation of such valves, T-connections and manifolds as the tiller encounters resistance from the soil. At any point of division into separate fluid conduits, a fluid conduit that is displaced vertically from the horizontal plane to a greater degree will receive more of the less dense ammonia vapor than a fluid conduit that is not displaced vertically from the horizontal plane. Since the vapor comprises a much greater volume than the liquid a fluid stream comprising more ammonia vapor than liquid will have correspondingly less fertilizer value. Thus it will be seen that various portions of the crop will be more luxuriant than other positions indicating an unequal distribution of ammonia. Unfortunately, it is difficult to prevent such changes of planar orientation in a tilling operation.
Thus it is an object of the instant invention to provide a system for distributing equal amounts of ammonia as a fertilizer to tilled soil.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus useful for dividing flowing multi-phase fluid streams into streams wherein the ratio of each phase is equal.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus useful for dividing a flowing fluid stream comprising a liquid and a gas into streams wherein the ratio of said liquid and said gas is equal.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus useful for dividing a flowing fluid stream comprising a liquid and a gas into streams wherein the ratio of said liquid and said gas is substantially equal in all of the streams and wherein said ratio is independent of changes in planar orientation of said apparatus.
Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.